Study: Echinacea May Reduce Anxiety

GREEN BAY, WIIn a recent study, researchers found Echinacea angustifolia extract relieved anxiety within three days (Phytother Res. 2012 Mar 26. DOI: 10.1002/ptr.4677). Scientists published their findings in the March 2012 issue of Psychotherapy Research.

The human clinical study included 33 volunteers experiencing mild anxiety. Researchers administered one or two tablets of 20 mg AnxioFit-1 per day for one week to healthy volunteers scoring high on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). AnxioFit-1 is a specialized extract of specific plant compounds from a single form of echinacea, developed by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

The two-tablet daily dose decreased STAI scores within three days. The effects remained stable for the following three weeks. However, the low dose (one tablet per day) did not affect anxiety significantly.